The nation's weather

The forecast for noon, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 shows chilly temperatures remain in place in the East with continued clouds and Lake Effect snowfall. Highs in the Plains warm up a bit, and in the West a Pacific storm system pushes inland with rain and high elevation snow. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)
— AP

The forecast for noon, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 shows chilly temperatures remain in place in the East with continued clouds and Lake Effect snowfall. Highs in the Plains warm up a bit, and in the West a Pacific storm system pushes inland with rain and high elevation snow. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)
/ AP

This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 at 12:45 a.m. EST shows overcast skies over the Plains as a warm front moves through the Northern and Central Plains. A large area of mixed wintry precipitation develops ahead of this system in North Dakota. Accumulations should be light, but enough ice may form on area roads and sidewalks to make driving and walking difficult. Elsewhere, light lake effect snow continues in areas downwind of the Great Lakes. (AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)— AP

This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 at 12:45 a.m. EST shows overcast skies over the Plains as a warm front moves through the Northern and Central Plains. A large area of mixed wintry precipitation develops ahead of this system in North Dakota. Accumulations should be light, but enough ice may form on area roads and sidewalks to make driving and walking difficult. Elsewhere, light lake effect snow continues in areas downwind of the Great Lakes. (AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)
/ AP

Pacific disturbances were forecast to provide more wet weather activity across the Northwest on Thursday.

An offshore low pressure system was expected to maintain moist south to southwesterly flow across areas from the Pacific Northwest to central California, keeping mild and showery weather over the regions. By Thursday night, another storm system would bring more rain and snow to the area through Friday. Periods of heavy snowfall through the day were forecast to keep the Cascades under a winter storm warning and winter weather advisory. Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet were possible through Friday afternoon, with the heaviest amounts expected in the North Cascades. Farther inland, a strong Pacific storm would move through the Northern Rockies with moderate to heavy snowfall and gusty winds. This combination of weather conditions was expected to greatly impact travel conditions across the region, especially over the mountain passes, with snow covered roads, blowing and drifting snow, and reduced visibilities. A winter storm watch was expected to remain over portions north-central Idaho and western Montana.

Wintry precipitation would not be limited to the West on Thursday. An Alberta Clipper from southern Canada was forecast to move through the Upper Great Lakes on Thursday evening, bringing light to moderate snow accumulations to the region and parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Areas near Grand Rapids, Mich., were expected to get about 2 to 4 inches of snow from this system. Meanwhile, lake effect snow would continue in the areas of Lower Great Lakes and Northeast downwind of the lake bodies.

Finally, in the South, hard freeze warnings and freeze warnings were forecast to remain in effect for southeast Alabama, southwest and south-central Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend through the morning. Temperatures in these areas were expected to fall into the mid-20s by sunrise.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday ranged from a low of -9 degrees at Owatonna, Minn., to a high of 83 degrees at Rialto, Calif.